Press Release

Kraton Polymers to Exhibit at CHINAPLAS 2003 17th International Exhibition on Plastics & Rubber Industries China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing, China, 4-7 December 2003

HONG KONG (November 3, 2003) – Kraton Polymers will once again look to meet with key compounders, moulders and finished product manufacturers from Asia Pacific when it showcases its broad range of plastics and rubber-related innovations at this year’s Chinaplas exhibition in Beijing, December 4-7, 2003.

Several new polymer innovations, at different price/performance levels to address a variety of demands from compounders and end users, will be introduced at this year’s event.

The Kraton Polymers Group of Companies pioneered the production of styrenic block copolymers in the 1960s and today retains its position as the world’s leading manufacturer and supplier of the technology. Thanks to consistent product quality, global supply capabilities, local support and on-going product innovations, manufacturers around the world use Kraton polymers in their compounds and applications to add value to their products through improved finish and advanced manufacturing processes.

Kraton Polymers’ thermoplastic elastomers and synthetic rubbers offer a wide range of performance benefits, including improved strength, transparency, soft-touch, firmer grip and superior elasticity. Kraton polymers-based compounds and polymers are reprocessable and can be used as compounding ingredients or modifiers for the production of moulded, thermoformed, dipped and extruded goods, elastic films and fibres. Applications taking advantage of these benefits include toys, footwear, tools, household, sports, packaging and gloves. Daniel Wong, Kraton Polymers sales director for greater China, said: “Chinaplas is an important venue for meeting the key current and potential users of our products, and for increasing our understanding of current market trends and the demands facing our customers in Asia Pacific. Our local sales and global R&D support teams work with a wide range of customers in the region, from small businesses to multinationals across a variety of application sectors. We are committed to ensuring that our expertise, broad product range and latest innovations can be put to best use in meeting their product and development needs, helping them to win in their markets.”

Meet the Kraton Polymers team at Chinaplas 2003 in Hall 8A Booth 8A10. For additional information, e-mail info@Kraton.com

About Kraton

Kraton Polymers LLC is a premier, global specialty chemicals company and is the world’s largest producer of styrenic block copolymers (“SBCs”), a family of products whose chemistry was pioneered by Kraton over forty years ago.  SBCs are highly-engineered synthetic elastomers, which enhance the performance of products by delivering a variety of attributes, including greater flexibility, resilience, strength, durability and processability.  Kraton polymers are used in a wide range of applications including road and roofing materials, numerous consumer products (e.g., diapers, tool handles and toothbrushes), tapes, labels, medical applications, packaging, automotive and footwear products.  Kraton has the leading position in nearly all of its core markets and is the only producer of SBCs with global manufacturing capability.  Its production facilities are located in the United States, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Brazil, and Japan.

Polymer Holdings LLC is the parent company of Kraton Polymers LLC and has no material assets other than its investment in Kraton Polymers LLC. 

Kraton, the Kraton logo and design are trademarks of Kraton Polymers LLC.

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